If you’d like to buy tickets to see Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard or the Steve Miller Band at Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, you certainly can. Click here for all the details.
But if you’d like to win two free general admission tickets to each of those three shows, read on.
Wait, what? Two free tickets? To three different shows featuring country legends Willie and Merle and classic-rock-radio staple Steve Miller?
Indeed, thanks to the generous folks at Monqui Presents, Frequency is giving away six tickets total, including two each to each of those shows. If you were to buy them in advance, they’d cost you upwards of $250.
Here’s how it’s going to work: If you want the six tickets, just leave a comment on this blog post explaining why you deserve to win them. Be funny, be creative, tug on my heartstrings — whatever. Just be sure to leave a real e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.
The deadline to enter is Friday at noon. Shortly thereafter, the Frequency Contest Operating Committee will pick a winner. (That committee is not real, but I figure if I keep mentioning it, someone other than me will show up at the meetings, held each Thursday morning at the D&D.)
You know I deserve these tickets- it’s my chance to slip a Warm Gadget demo into the right pockets! Just think- it could be our big break- we’ll be opining for Merle next summer! And you will have been a crucial part of making it happen for us…
I deserve the tickets because of my super-Willie Nelson fandom. For one thing, he was my very first favorite singer when I was 8. How often do serious music nerds get to see their first favorite singer? Plus, as an army brat who moved a lot, I’ve listened to Willie Nelson in many places. When I first discovered his music, I was in Alaska. Since then, I’ve enjoyed Willie Nelson in Orange County California, Fargo North Dakota, Fayetteville North Carolina, Darmstadt Germany and now Oregon.
Also of course, as a serious music nerd, I’ve gone through several phases; when for a long time I refused anything too country-ish, I always dug Willie Nelson; as a thrasher Kreater and Exodus loving teenager, a Mudhoney and Beat Happening indie/alternadork guy, a DRI and Black Flag punker, a Skinny Puppy and Throbbing Gristle style industrial geek, and even now when I buy more hard bop/jazz than anything else and idolize Thelonious Monk, Willie Nelson’s always been there for me.
And that’s my big pitch. I think it’s pretty good, but if there’s someone that’s earnestly a hardcore fan of all three they probably deserve the tickets, (And that generous attitude, means I’m the one who really deserves to win, right?) but in my recent un-freezing towards the folk side of country in the interest of broadening horizons, I’ve realized that I actually like some of Merle Haggard’s stuff quite a bit and have been giving that show some thought. Was never a Steve Miller fan, but it would be amusing to hear The Joker live.
The ethereal Blog/Twitter/Bytes/Bend sphere of data landed me here.
You don’t hear too much about surfing the web these days. It’s like shooting a double overhead pipe of information isn’t done often enough. Back in the good old days, you could go from the CIA’s website to the personal site (hosted on GeoCities) oh a chinchilla in Tarzan, TX in about five clicks. Actually, that’s probably a big fish tale, but I wish it were true.
But today I was surfing for the first time in months. Really, hanging ten into the digital ocean.
Suddenly, in a cataclysmic combination of Facebook, #inbend, a chicken farmer, and Google, I found this page. I deserve the tickets not only because I love Steve Miller and really want to see Merle Haggard, but because I rocked the web to get here, found it through as many back doors as the Kremlin, and merely stumbled upon a sweet event in Bend.
I don’t know if I DESERVE these tickets, but sure would love to have them. In all of my 66 yrs., I have never been able to afford to go to any concert. I love Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. Not sure who Steve Miller is, but I’m sure I’ve heard his music. I have been a Country Western fan all my life, in fact I was raised on it and have never faltered from it.
I’ll bootleg the shows and burn you a copy soon afterwards!
Although I am a definite fan of the singer and the man, Willie Nelson, the tickets would go to my neighbor…she wants to relive her HIGH school years and would like to have a few “seeds” to help with the whole “Go Green” effort. She has informed me that she does not want to associate with scuzzy perveyors…so I think seeing Willie may be her only opportunity to make her dream come true.
Enough of the BS I just want the dang tickets! I love each one of these performers and would love a chance and finally winning something! I would be an awesome fan, I promise!!!
Thank you for considering me for quite the awesome opportunity.
First and foremost, I am a super huge Willie Nelson fan. Ask anyone who knows me, who I listen to and ok, slightly worship, and they will tell you without hesitation, Willie Nelson. I have loved Willie for 25 years. I first saw him in Sisters, Or in 1994. I will never forget it. Willie had the whole audience singing along to Amazing Grace while the sun was setting behind him. Willie and his Family were at the top of their game that night and it was the best concert I have ever seen. I have since saw him in Redmond ( at the old fairgrounds) and twice at the amphitheater. I about passed out when I saw he was returning again.
I have a framed concert poster from the Sisters show and every time I take it to the concerts hoping for an autograph but always coming up short. I did get Paul English ( his best friend and drummer) to autograph it at the last amphitheater show. I can name every band member, own over 30 cds, 5 records, dozens of old tapes, 3 concert posters and 2 autobiography’s.
Ok get this. Weird but true. I have had a recurring dream for about the last 10 years. In this dream I always wind up meeting Willie and some others in the band. Sometimes we are picking on the bus or playing cards and sometimes I am working for him as a roadie. In the dream I am always telling him how much I like him and what not but for some reason or another I can never get an autograph. Its always something like I don’t have the poster or there is no pen around. He is always way cool in the dreams though.
Ok this is also true. I used to work at the old Bend Kampground at HWY 97 and Cooley. I put up a sign on our reader board welcoming Willie and the Family when they played the LSA in 2003. I saw the show then went to the store to tell everyone about it. And sure enough here comes Willies bus “The Honeysuckle Rose” down 97 and honks the air horn as they went by!! Too cool!
But now Merle, what can I say. The guy is as American as they come. I have a great respect for him. I have never had the opportunity to see him and would love to. I think hearing “If I Could Only Fly” live would be on my bucket list if I had one.
And lastly Steve Miller. I grew up listening to “The Joker” . Who didn’t. Steve Miller Band Greatest hits was the second CD i bought right after CDs started coming out. No I do not own any other CDs but I do know all his hits. Would love to see him live!!
This is quite the lineup of music legends we have coming this summer. Thanks to LSA for the venue!
Thank you,
Robert
We would Really love to win these tickets !! We lived in Bend Oregon for years ( aprox 25) then moved to central Illinois last year. We lived in ” Woodriver Village” ,which is a stones throw from the Old Mill District. We had a back yard that faced the Deschutes river, and when anyone would play at the Amphitheater, we could hear then SO well. It was Great. Although we never went to any of the shows (as we were spoiled living so close) we would love to come back, see Bend, and go to this great show !! Thanx..
I deserve the tickets so I can take my 82 yr old husband to see these bands live. We visited Luckenbach Texas where everybody is somebody and where Willie and Waylon and the boys put on a concert where the only way to get a front row seat is to be the first one there. We missed being there for the live concert so this would be our chance to see a live performance. Please pick us! I can think of a lot of other reasons too but this is the best one.
Last year’s summer solstice I found myself on a first date. We sat in the sun and listened to old country and bluegrass. We quickly realized we shared a love of Merle Haggard and his music. There is nothing I could want more than to bring my new love to see Merle’s show almost an exact year after our meeting.
The issue is her love of Merle’s music is shadowed only by the love of Willie Nelson. To think that we could enjoy a summer with BOTH Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson is mind blowing.
Then there’s Steve Miller Band. Classic. We both grew up singing and dancing to their music and can’t help but feel reminiscent every time we hear their music. So good!!!
I can’t think of a better summer than sharing the music I love so much, with the girl that I love so much. Summertime in Bend, so great!!!
I met my now husband almost 18 years ago and he has always had a vast array of love for musicians ranging from country to blues to punk to alternative. For years I resisted his “DJ-ing” of Merle Haggard mixed in with KMFDM to Chris Isaac to Sinead O’Conor and back to Willie Nelson at late night get togethers. But I have to say that over those 18 years (of what I used to think was torture), the lyrics and patriotism of Merle have grown on me along with Willie’s undeniable appeal and I now find myself appreciating them even more because they have always meant something to my husband. Now, when I hear them on the radio or when my husband plays DJ with his IPOD I find myself actually enjoying the songs. My husband is an oddity because he was born in 1970 but has a truly deep love of the music of the 70′s and can name almost all artists of that decade. Me on the other hand, I didn’t get attached to anything going on in the 70′s. But that’s what makes my husband so unique and deserving of attending these three incredible concerts. He served his country in the first Gulf War as a marine and continues to serve this community as a police officer and he has accepted his role in an often thankless job. The music these artists have produced over the years have served him in being able to just relax and listen to good American music. If we were to win these tickets, I think I might even find myself singing along to some of the songs and actually loving it!
thanks!
Lots of words here…I’ll cut to the chase.
All I want is the 2 tickets to see Willie. I had the privilege of seeing his show in Ouray Colorado about 12 years ago and have never forgot the haunting sounds of his amazing voice echoing against the Rocky Mountains.
I wish I were dying so I could say ‘give a dying woman her last wish’. As far as I know that’s not true…but I sure would love to see Willie again. The crags on his face…oh my.
Thanks!
All of their music is great
My husband will be my date
All I need is a ticket
So we can go and kick it!
I deserve these tickets because my life is the inspiration for most of Pancho and Lefty’s songs. Since they have never paid me any royalties, I am surely entitled to the happiness that winning these tickets would bring. Winning these tickets could turn my life around and start me on the road to success. I might even get my job back, my dog back, my car back, and my girl back. Thanking you in advance.
I would really like to win these tickets so my mom and I could go. She deserves them – she’s the best.
Steve Miller Band is the greatest! Love their music would love a chance for my fiance and I to go. We’ve never been to a concert.
Has a decision been made yet about who won the tickets?
Excellent question, Matt. A decision should have been made by now, but it hasn’t. I’ll figure it out ASAP. Thanks for everyone’s patience!
Anxiously awaiting word on whom the lucky winner might be!!??
Happy April fellow music fans…..
Robert
Thanks for the nudge, Matt and Robert. I took too long to figure this out. I have excuses, but only one of them is good, so I’ll spare you all.
Anyway…coincidentally…congratulations to Robert Williams, winner of the ticket package! This was the toughest contest-related decision we’ve had so far, because many of you gave great reasons for why you should get them. But Robert came out on top.
Much, much thanks to ALL of you for entering the contest and for reading Frequency, sincerely. I hope you’ll stop by often.
I deserve these tickets because I am a loyal fan of all 3 artists. Not to mention that I am a pregnant mother of 2. I am due July 8th. This would be the greatest gift ever to have a break from my children, and have fun with my husband! I am a full time student, I work part time, and have 2.5 children, if you find someone who deserves a break more by all means give them to them. I promise that you won’t. My favorite is Willie he preforms on the 17th of September, and my birthday is the 27th (my 30th birthday)
i REALLY DESERVE these tickets! My fiance and i have two children under 3 and never get to go out! Also his parents are going to be flying in from germany after serving in the air force and they would really love to go!!!
i am 54 yrs old served 30 yrs in national guard. dont have alot ,but awesome grandkids ,willie is my idol.it would be ultimate awesome ,
Cheers to Willie Nelson; my favorite country singer!
why not see him in concert? I’m visiting from out of town; grew up in NDak with country music!
I’d love to be at this concert! Hey, I’m also retired from military, having served in the USMC and retired from Oregon Air National Guard! I love this country along with country music! They go hand in hand! God bless this country, our service men and women, and bless those who love S-kicking music!
Cheers to all! Darlene